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5 Healthy Ways to Calm Down When You’re Angry

When you were angry and using drugs, you probably coped with your anger in unhealthy ways. You may have gotten in fights or sought revenge. Or maybe you ignored the situation completely, using drugs and alcohol to escape your feelings of anger. Even when you’re clean and sober, you may find yourself trying to stuff your feelings or avoid coping with your anger.

Eventually, however, anger can win out if you haven’t developed new coping skills. You may start reacting to anger in unhealthy ways, such as name-calling, actual violence or throwing or hitting property.

If you’re feeling anger, it’s important to learn to process your anger in a healthy way. You don’t have to completely cease being angry. But you do need to learn how to process your negative emotions in a way that’s healthy for you and the object of your anger. Once your anger has disappated, you can sit down and talk about it with others.

Calming Down Techniques

Get outside and take a walk. This is especially useful if there is a person or situation that you’re angry with nearbye. This is a example good way to blos off some steam if you have just had a heated argument with your wife. Leaving the situation and getting some exercise are both healthy ways to deal with your anger. Hopefeully you’ll be able to think the situation through a little better when you return home.

Practice deep breathing. Find somewhere you can sit undisturbed. Close your eyes. Slowly take a deep breath, counting backward from 10 with each breath. Pay special attention to how your body feels and the sounds around you. Feel your belly filling with anger as you breath deeply in. Feel yourself exhale some of that anger, slowly and gently as you let it go. Remember to count backward from ten to zero.

Listen to calming music. Your phone probably has some of your favorite music. Everyone should have a song that makes them feel optimistic and happy. Listen to this song when you’re feeling upset.

Listen to meditations. There are plenty of short meditation clips on Youtube you can listen to. There are also countless websites that offer meditation ebooks, recordings, podcasts and videos. Choose what works for you. There are even apps in the app stores that can help you learn to meditate.

Call somebody in your support network. Your sponsor or a friend can help you sort through your anger before you get out of control. Sometimes people in recovery siply overreact because they don’t know how to cope with it, safely. Listening to the advice of others will help you learn the right ways to cope with anger in recovery.

These are just a few ways that you can begin to cope with anger in recovery. There are many other ways you can choose to cope with anger as well. In early recovery, people sometimes lash out. Your emotions may feel like a roller coaster as the toxins leave your body. As you begin your journey as a clean and sober person, you’ll begin to cope with anger in a healthy way. You’ll probably discover that letting isn’t as hard as it once seemed. And you’ll feel better about yourself now that you’ve learned these healthy copint techniques.

Need Help for Addiction?

Addiction is a disease that can damage all areas of your life. Recovery, however, is possible for anyone when they get the help they need. We can help get you started on the right path. Please give us a call to learn about our detox services and more information on how to start your recovery journey at 888-959-3277.